Jakarta – Hundreds of public minivan drivers in Jakarta staged a strike Monday, demanding an official fare increase in the wake of fuel price rises, leaving many commuters and students stranded.

One striking driver, Cecep Wahyudin, told The Jakarta Post they wanted the administration officially to raise fares.

"It's frustrating having to quarrel with passengers just to get an extra Rp 500 over the current fare," he said. "So, until the fare rises are made official... we will continue the strike."

Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said the central and local governments would soon issue decrees on new transportation fares. "If there are official decrees, any illegal decrees will no longer be valid," said Jusman, referring to decrees issued by public transportation owners to raise fares.

There are more than 400 public minivans serving the Tanah Abang-Kebayoran Lama route and 300 serving the Tanah Abang-Meruya route in Jakarta. Drivers are demanding fare increases for their routes of Rp 500 to Rp 1,000.

Cecep, who has been driving the Tanah Abang-Kebayoran Lama route for eight years, said 40 percent of passengers were willing to pay higher fares without being asked. "Before the fuel price hike, I earned just Rp 30,000 to Rp 50,000 a day. Now, it is more like Rp 25,000," Cecep said.

Those public transportation drivers not taking part in Monday's strike were charging passengers an additional Rp 500 to Rp 2,000 despite no official announcement on the issue.

Air-conditioned buses traveling between Bekasi and Jakarta have increased fares from Rp 5,500 to Rp 6,500, while non-air-conditioned buses are charging Rp 5,000, up from Rp 4,000. Public minivans in Bekasi have raised fares by Rp 500.

A teacher and Bekasi resident, Lina, said, "Even before the minivan driver asks, I don't mind paying him the extra charge. I realize we passengers are not the only ones affected by the fuel price hike; the drivers too are affected."

The secretary of the Jakarta chapter of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), TR Panjaitan, said before the fuel price increases were announced that if the government raised prices by 30 percent, transportation fares were likely to go up by 20 percent.

"This is just a rough estimate. We will set up a special team to determine the fares right after the government announces the new fuel prices," Panjaitan said.

He said fuel prices were just one of 156 factors in calculating fares. "Fuel only accounts for 5 percent of the total fare," he said.

Meanwhile, many motorcycle taxi, or ojek, drivers were seen by the Post benefiting from Monday's transportation strike, looking for passengers along Jl. Palmerah Utara in West Jakarta, which is usually jammed with public minivans. (ind)